Monsters

Ikey gets a little bit nervous about the basement sometimes and he'll come shooting out of the kitchen (where the basement steps are) saying he's heard a noise or that he's nervous because the basement door is open but the lights are off down there. He wonders if the noises he hears are monsters which is funny because those noises come from our cat Ari, she's such a fat kitty you can hear her thunking around down there. 

There's no monsters in our basement, but monsters do walk amongst us. I'm not sure how you could describe the executive order on immigration as anything less than the action of a monster. And if you do want to defend these actions, go ahead and rid yourself of all religious affiliations because if you condone these actions and you profess yourself to be a religious person, especially a Christian, then you are lying to yourself and you are lying to your God. Do not convince yourself that God condones these actions: borders do not exist, racism does not exist, hatred and discrimination do not exist, turning away from children and from desperate mothers and fathers does not exist in a faith that has Jesus as it's savior. If you believe that it does, I hope you will question your faith and yourself, I hope you will read your Bible with an open heart, I hope you will seek guidance from someone outside of your circle because you need to hear from someone else. We can do better than this we just have to, it's not an option. 

• You can read this NYTimes article describing a handful of atrocities committed against immigrants just since yesterday (Friday 1/27/17), they're terrible and they're heartbreaking and there's so many more stories stacking up behind these with every minute that passes. 

• And we can never hear enough from Malala Yousafzai: 
• "I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war. I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants — the people who helped build your country, ready to work hard in exchange for a fair chance at a new life. I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled-out for discrimination."
• More from and about Malala here. 

• Oh and what do you know? Here's an article about the Pope's thoughts on it as well:
• "Pope Francis condemned the hypocrisy from Christians who are merciless to refugees and people of other faiths... Francis rebuked 'the contradiction of those who want to defend Christianity in the West, and, on the other hand, are against refugees and other religions.'”

Moving forward a bit

I have found it a bit helpful to disengage from Facebook. Not completely, because I have two Momma groups that I love and also Dan Rather's News & Guts page is so so good and it is primarily Facebook based as of now. I expect that will change soon because it's great. Have you checked it out? If you aren't on Facebook, maybe he's on Twitter, I'm not sure, the actual website isn't as thorough as the Facebook site though. I definitely have friends who like and share great resources, but even then I find that it's so easy to get caught up in people's comments and to let them become your own opinions rather than reading something and thinking it through and letting yourself form an opinion based upon your own knowledge and understanding. I'm definitely guilty of spewing out other's ideas because I read what they thought before forming my own understanding of an issue. I probably need to get a subscription, I used to love reading the New Yorker but...two kids and all that (one of whom never stops talking!!!! And it's not like he talks into the air, no he wants a response and asks questions that need a reply based upon an understanding of what he's saying...it's exhausting. Also wonderful, so I try not to let him down too often!) 

This is me, trying to return to the way it used to be, making america great again...wait.....

haha.

Mandatory kid pics? Sure!

Bundled on a snow day. This was our big third day snowed in outing to Whole Foods.

At OMSI: I've taken so many pictures of Ike playing with this water feature, every time I'm amazed at how big he's getting.

OMSI: Wowo and the water, cute head.

Rockstar!

Reality

I hope to find myself here more often starting now. Facebook has become increasingly difficult, my tolerance for anyone who has shown support for the president is nill, I find my mood greatly affected each time I log on and read more, more, more. Perhaps I'll find my way there but at the moment I do not find kindness, empathy, compassion or understanding in my heart for the people who voted this man into office. I just don't. I know I have close friends and family who participated in that effort and man, I have a hard time handling that, I frankly don't even want to hear anyone's justification. I do see it as a failing on my part that I'm not more willing and open and like I said maybe I'll get there but at the moment all I see are gag orders, hiring freezes, pipelines and muzzles on free speech. And even closer to home I see my healthcare payments going up, but thank god my family has access to it, because anyone who isn't that fortunate is about to get royally screwed. I worry about our parents who are on or will be on Medicare, I hate to think about the difficulties in signing up, finding doctors, getting medicine, etc., not to mention the sacrifices that will be made when specialists are too expensive, prescriptions are to expensive... I worry about retirement funds and social security, and these things are just in my personal bubble. What about preexisting conditions? Seriously? We just say FU to those people? And don't get me started on Women's reproductive rights, do not even...I am seeing red even typing those words.

And so, if you're reading this and you feel affronted, I'm not sorry about that, this is my space and you've chosen to be here. In my space you won't find me placating and kind, you'll likely find me pissed off and trying to deal with the reality of someone completely screwing my children's world for many many years to come. What he is doing will not be undone quickly, we will deal with the ramifications for decades if not longer. My Ikey and Woodrow have to see that man as a leader? THAT MAN?!! My greatest triumph will be shielding them in every way shape and form possible from him and from his people and from his actions. To do that, I will likely use this space to vent, I will stay further away from Facebook, I will take control of the downward spin and I will not live inside of a bad mood, I'll do better for them.

Here's my biggest dude. We should put him in the Oval Office.
At least his tantrums would be age appropriate.

Wowo

I forgot how much fun one year old is! Woodrow is looking at books all the time, he will go back to the same ones repeatedly and turn to the pages he's most interested in. Marcy got a Wheels on the Bus book for Ike ages ago and Woodrow discovered it and loves it so much. He'll bring it to us and start dancing :) (haha, he just brought it to me as I'm typing this!). We can ask him to go get things and to put stuff away, he'll very animatedly look underneath furniture for stuff that might be hiding under there. He wants to play outside all day long putting the ball in the hoop, drawing with chalk, walking down the street...so fun. He's the most easy going, happy baby....until nighttime and then...well, I guess all babies have to be sad sometime.

No baby belly for you

I had to break the news to Ikey that boys can't carry babies in their bellies. He's less than impressed.

Ike: "And then, when I'm really big I'll have a baby in my belly."

Me: "You will?"

Ike: "Yeah, someday. Just like you with me and Woodrow."

Me: "Oh. Well sorry buddy, boys can't carry babies in their bellies, only girls can do that."

Ike: "..."

The next day:

Ike: "So, Woodrow can't have a baby in his belly?" 

Me: "Nope"

Ike: "And Elliott is a boy so he can't either."

Me: "Right"

Ike: "And Vanessa (Elliott's mom) had a baby in her belly but...she's kinda like a boy, so now I'm not sure.

Me: "Huh?"

Ike: "Y'now, because she has short hair and all."

Birthday Boys

Happy Birthday Stinkers!




















It's birthday season up in hera!! Someway somehow my sweet little baby Woodrow Zeke just turned ONE YEAR OLD!!! Ohmygoodness I can't even handle it. There's something about the first birthday that gets you pretty reflective. It's also the birthday where people offer you their congratulations, which is a little weird but I find myself doing it as well. I guess it's that the first year is a curve that you just have to lean in to, you really can't try to correct it, you just have to go with it, and that first birthday is a prominent marker in your new course. Whether I was ready for it or not, it has come. I guess now he's a toddler but I'm still gonna call him a baby.

And today Ikey turned four!! Such a big dude!! He amazes me. Sometimes he's so little and other times he's so big and grown up. This is the first birthday where he really gets it and turning four is a very big deal. He was able to look forward to this day with so much anticipation, but still with very low expectations (which is awesome for as long as it lasts!!).

With birthdays five days apart, they're bound to have combo birthday parties as long as they'll let us throw them. This year we had a Star Wars party with light sabers, a Jedi training course, and Storm Trooper cupcakes. It was a lot of fun.

When Ike saw these cupcakes he said "Momma! I love you so much! I didn't even KNOW I was gonna have Storm Trooper cupcakes! Thank you!!"

Ikey decided to decorate...

Jedi's preparing for battle

Battle!

Woodrow gettin' down on his cake!

Wowo's baby friend Issac

Our sweet friend Vanessa made these awesome sweatshirts for them

Woodrow enjoying their new play kitchen, I need to find a spot for it in our real kitchen 

Toys that travel are super handy!

I can't even tell you how I've hoped and prayed that one day I would have a child fall asleep at the table. That day was today!! It was greatness. Woodrow skipped his morning nap and just couldn't make it through lunch. I wish we'd had spaghetti or chili to make for a really epic picture, the best I can give you is that when he woke up later in his crib, he found a piece of his sandwich inside his overalls and kept on eating!

A sweet moment of gift opening. Ike was "just taking a little break from his shirt for awhile".

Thanks for reading and for all of your thoughtful birthday wishes!

So much

Sometimes I have so much I want to blog about that I can't blog. Sorry! I'll get to it soon!

Question posed to Ikey:

"Is Woodrow your favorite?"

"I just love him so much, I can't help it. Every day I just love him!"

Hands

If you have adult children, can you still remember the feel of their little hands on yours? I hope I never forget.

June

UWe're gearing up for June around here, it's about to get crazy. The little boys and I are heading to Dallas for my annual Mystery Girls Trip (Ikey calls it my "Momma's Trip") and while we are in Dallas, Travis will head to China for work and when we get back, Grandma (Travis' Momma) is coming for a visit (Actually, Grandma and Travis will arrive at the airport within 15 minutes of each other on the 22nd, crazy!) Whew! The whole China thing is very last minute. Now I need to find petcare and such, luckily we have fantastic neighbors who are starting summer break and like a little extra cash :) This also results in me extending my Dallas trip a little longer (better there with grandparents to help and friends to go to happy hour with!!) which is quite a little treat.

Hopefully all my tomatoes won't come in while we are away.

Drawer Baby

"Momma put Woodrow away because no matter what he's too cute for me to see"

Ikey decided we should put him in a drawer. I don't agree with that but I do agree that he's too darn cute! 

He carried... what??

"I woke up and I had to poop so bad so I jumped up and I carried it to the bathroom!"

(Thank god he means he carried it in his bottom!!) 

In a plant nursery:

"What are these things?"

"Tomato cages for tomato plants to climb."

".... Noooooo, they don't have hands!"

Ikey Days?!

I need a new blog title!!

Preschool musings

Hmm, not much going on around here to write about, but I'm waiting for Travis to finish putting Ikey to bed so we can watch Deadwood, so I might as well write something up! I'm on the preschool search which is a bit overwhelming. Many thanks to my mom for talking me through it, though I've yet to officially decide. Why's preschool gotta be so expensive?! I'm so excited for Ike to start, I know he's going to love it. He's such a smart kid I'm excited for him to learn new things and to find challenges and to work with his peers as well as adults who will become so important in his life (forever! who doesn't remember their preschool teacher?). I definitely have that "oh my gosh, my baby..." thing going on, but ultimately he is going to thrive in school and it will be fun to see that. He also isn't going to start until September so I'm not in the sending him off process just yet, only in the making the choice and writing the checks process. I figure we will pay for Ike's preschool for the next two years and then for kindergarten, and just as we are done paying for him it will be time for Woodrow to start, and just as we are done paying for him it will be time for....wait, what?! Haha, if Travis is reading this he just started sweating bullets! Preschool is an investment, that's for sure. I guess you want to have a good foundation, right? Hopefully after kindergarten we'll be able to get these boys into the Montessori public school because there's no way we're paying beyond kinder!!

In current events: yesterday we went to the zoo and were charmed by the most amazing orangutan, watched a polar bear dive over and over onto a barrel in his pool, and rode a carousel for the first time--fun! Today we watched Irish dancers and listened to Irish music at Kennedy School, tomorrow we are going to the Children's Museum to celebrate this beautiful weather (aka: three whole days with no rain, hallelujah!) in their fantastic outdoor learning and play space. Last Friday we had a notable experience in Ike's first MAJOR public tantrum. Oh man. Did I say major? It was something else, I mean it was so unreal that I was actually trying not to let him see me laughing as it was happening because it was blowing my mind. We survived, I'm still not sure what the cause was ultimately, but it happened seconds after he finished his special treat of going out for ice cream, so sugar must have had something to do with it. That stuff is no good (but I love it so...).

Anywho, bedtime complete!! It's Deadwood time! Here are some pictures (though none of the tantrum, unfortunately, oh if only you could see the crocodile tears..)

These two with their sweet love..swoon

Belly

"look! I tied a tie!"

Such twinkles with their long hair

Carousel!

This one makes me laugh :)

Lunchtime & tummytime!